


We Know

by SunlitDarkness



Category: Glee
Genre: Band Fic, Canon Compliant, Fix-It of Sorts, Marching Band, Other, canon adjacent, personal band stories
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-22
Updated: 2018-01-22
Packaged: 2019-03-08 08:22:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13454253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunlitDarkness/pseuds/SunlitDarkness
Summary: “You're not instant family; this is our business.”Because what is band (marching band at least) but family?A series of gossip and exploration of the marching band students at Lima. This is written solely off of my annoyance that nobody who played piano/drum/string/etc. for the sappy love songs ever said anything about it.





	We Know

**Author's Note:**

> Alight, I'll be upfront. It's been years since I watched the show, and I've only seen up through season 3. I'm no longer in high school, but these are some of the experiences that happened because of marching band. It's not specific commentary on the show, or character bashing. It's a lot of misplaced jealousy and anger and discomfort. All OCs are mine, though I don't describe them too in depth.

**“We know.”**

It's words that Jackson is constantly biting back whenever he sits behind the New Direction kids in Schuester's Spanish II class. 

**“I know.”**

Like it's not something half the band can see when they're playing for those few games that Kurt Hummel is their kicker. 

**“I've heard.”**

Because anyone can hear how Alice sings better in the actual class choir than Rachel Berry. Even if Alice plays a clarinet and is only your friend if she's better than you. 

**“I saw.”**

Because everybody in band knows when someone's banging. Hell. Kamal got it on in the bus on the way back from a competition. And Jackson would be lying if he said Kamal was the only one. 

**“They asked me to play for them.”**

And every damn time it's a new 'them'.

**“Do you know about it?”**

Yes because Jackson talked to Kodee and Kodee is best friends with Williamson. Because Williamson and Sterling Wash go to church together with Alice and complain about how serious their moms are. Because Jackson kissed Kamal. And Alice would never tell Rachel Berry that she tells too much gossip. 

**“Do they know you know?”**

Jackson desperately hopes so because it's hard enough when his friend group is subcategories and dramas of 84 different people.

**“Are you out?”**

And Kamal doesn't know the answer to that. Because his dad knows and his sister knows. Because he's kissed Jackson and Jackson wasn't the first. Because he remembers talking into the wee hours of the morning with his friends in low brass at band camp his sophomore year. He remembers crying at the trumpet Christmas party. He remembers his heart panging that the trumpet pride flag is handed down between the women of his section. And everybody knows that he walks close to Jackson, knows that they sit together on bus rides, among other things. He's bitter about Kurt Hummel.

**“Does it bother you?”**

And Alice wants to say no, but she can't. She can't help wanting to strangle Rachel Berry. She can't fight down the nausea when more and more of this singing club ( _club_ ) gathers more out people. She's grossed out by their interdating politics (at least in band there's 80 of them). She wants to curl up and cry, although she doesn't have the words for why. She waits until band class and then hands a red bean bag to Director Mu and disappears into a practice room. She stays there all day.

**“You're gay?”**

And Jackson feels the word twist, especially when there's blatant shock on all the New Directions' faces. It had been casual. So casual. Him on the drum set and Kamal with his trumpet, and Schuester had walked right into it with saying the song was a straight swing. It was the normal kind of joke that ran in the band room. The one that those who knew, knew. And one that pricked at the religious kids. That it highlighted those whose hands went tight and turned away, and Jackson stored away their faces for later. To see if they’d ever show up to the crepe socials. He’d hope they would.

But this time. Is not like that. It's asking if it's his word. Not his community but his word. And it's not. Just like it's not Kamal’s word.

The moment drags on forever with Jackson's hands creeping closer and closer in towards his stomach, and Kamal frozen with his instrument just barely in front of his face. 

Schuester ends the moment. 

**“But you're not straight.”**

Kodee wants to drop kick them. Sterling Wash is bristling in front of his freshmen saxophones. Melanie and Adam Cinkovich both rise from their seats on the floor. A couple of the religious kids stalk out of the band room, but more stay behind. 

**“You're not instant family; this is our business.”**

Because they don't know the half what you've seen. They don't know too much about other people's medical issues or suspect too much about each other's parents. They didn't play the wedding march for Elizabeth and Munchkin in their freshman year because they were just so clearly affectionate with each other. They didn't reassure Elizabeth 2 years later that yes she can still like boys, still date boys, even if her current stare targets all had long ombre hair. They didn't shift to calling Alice, Al when she told them something was weird and her name didn't fit.

They didn't see entire sections going to homecoming or prom and taking pictures with each other. They didn't see them dance with anyone and everyone. Didn't see the smooth transitions of dancing 8 songs in a row to the Macarena.

**“We know.”**

And that's what they say when they tell people they're leaving the state. When they hear that Rachel Berry's made it to New York.

What they say when Jackson and Kamal break up.

When Alan comes out, correcting people that call him _'Alice,'_ and shows up to a band event 4 years later, introducing his fiance. 

When Marisa _'Munchkin'_ Hutchins signs a lease with her girlfriend while they're both in engineering school.

When Kamal floods his Instagram with pictures of him on dates with beautiful people in San Francisco.

When Jackson is on his university's LGBTQ panel, wine red boots and a solid black ring on his hand. 

When Elizabeth sends blog posts about being a resident assistant and laughing at how her residents blink when she mentions her ex girlfriend. 

They do not keep in touch necessarily.

They don't need to.

**“Have you heard that someone who used to be in band came out?”**  
**“No, but good for them. I'm glad.”**


End file.
